Glossary
Recyclable packaging
Definition
Packaging that can be collected, reprocessed and made into new products. Recyclability depends on the material and on whether local facilities actually accept it.
Also known as: Recyclable materials, Kerbside recyclable packaging
Recyclable packaging is made from materials that can be collected, sorted and reprocessed into new items rather than sent to landfill or incineration. Common examples include plain cardboard, paper and certain plastics, though what is realistically recycled depends heavily on local collection systems.
A material being technically recyclable does not guarantee it will be recycled. Mixed materials, laminates, plastic windows, food residue and heavy tape can all push an item into the general waste stream because sorting facilities cannot separate them economically. Keeping constructions to a single material, such as pure paper or a widely accepted plastic, improves real-world recyclability.
Recyclable is distinct from compostable: recyclable materials are reprocessed into new products, while compostable materials break down into compost under specific conditions. Mixing the two streams contaminates both, so label packaging clearly and design it to fit the collections your UK customers can actually use kerbside.
What to check
- Prefer single-material constructions over hard-to-sort laminates.
- Avoid plastic windows, heavy tape and coatings that block recycling.
- Check the material is accepted kerbside where customers live.
- Keep packaging free of food residue that can contaminate the stream.
- Do not conflate recyclable with compostable; keep the streams separate.
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Recyclable packaging — FAQs
Is recyclable the same as compostable?
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